Elina Alekseeva
Formations of the cup and the rock
2022
Selenite
1 x 1 x 1 cm
status:
Mineral sculpture inspired by the processes of rock-water interactions, and our perception of reality behind the naming of things.
Mineral sculpture inspired by the processes of rock-water interactions, and our
perception of reality behind the naming of things. Selenite, literally the stone of the
moon – selēnē, got its name due to its shine, translucency and prismatic, multifaceted
structure. Soft stone, that can be easily scratched with a ngernail, also quickly
dissolves and deconstructs in contact with water.
As a child, I remembered a saying of my grandmother: when the moon lays like a cup that spills water, it will probably rain. This little connection embraces the complexities behind the names and meanings preserved in languages and stories: memorization of the seasons and weather, and naming of materials after visual metaphors.
Still, a cup for water made of the moon-stone is impossible.
Playing with the idea of this interaction, I exposed selenite pieces to small drops of liquid, that over time formed a cup-looking deepening. A little ode to the formations of matter, and shared views of the world, inseparable from our imagination.
Technical information
artist
Elina Alekseeva
title
Formations of the cup and the rock
date
2022
medium
Selenite
dimensions
1 x 1 x 1 cm
genre
Sculpture
IAAA art style
this work is part of the following collection
Moon Gallery
artwork COSPAR id
Launch
Space
Return
launch date
19 Feb 2022
launch mission
Antares 230+ / NG-17 Cygnus resupply mission
launch provider
Northrop Grumman
return date
11 January 2023
return vehicle
Dragon CRS-26
return location
Gulf of Mexico
launch location
Wallops Island, VA, USA
host vehicle
International Space Station
return vehicle COSPAR id
2022-159A
launching state
location
USA
LEO, International Space Station (ISS)
host vehicle COSPAR id
1998-067A
status
Returned
launch vehicle COSPAR id
2022-015A
partners
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